Rhythm & Views

The Provocative Whites

The Provocative Whites celebrate the release with Ten Percenters, Ph8 and The Swim at 9 p.m., Friday, Sept. 22, at Club Congress, 311 E. Congress St. $5; 622-8848.
The Provocative Whites
Seductive Music

Locals The Provocative Whites know how to channel their rock influences into songs that sound like fresh versions of the things we loved about '90s-era indie rock--pop choruses, guitars used for every sound imaginable, moments of limb-shaking exuberance and plenty of screaming, both from the vocals and guitars. They're also one of those rare bands that showcases the individual styles of its members--guitarist and lead singer Mike Rowden never overshadows the talents of guitarist Kane Flint, bassist Tadj Roi and drummer James Few. A general feeling of lovely musical nostalgia is created on this self-titled EP.

It begins in the whoa-ohs on "Family Values," and the bassline and flourishes on "Ordinary Mediocrities," but the album starts picking up serious momentum with "Fear of the Belt." "Stranger Than True" and "Southern Cocaine" pack the kind of hooks one can only liken to drugs; "Can't Go Home Again" is a brief bump in the rock--it doesn't stretch much beyond the three-chord punk riff thing--but by "OCDDD," the guitar stylings of Flint are at full throttle, and Few's drums go metal for "Cool Jimmy." "Stuck Abroad" slips an extra something into your drink, and "Tragic One" shows that, despite some of the other songs, Rowden is capable of some creative and thoughtful lyrics. Somewhere during the album, The Provocative Whites start sounding less like other bands, and more like themselves.